Apparatus for the production of frozen confections

ABSTRACT

The disclosure embraces an apparatus for forming frozen confections in which movable molds are conveyed through filling, freezing, stick inserting and extraction stations, the apparatus including opened topped molds arranged in transverse rows on a conveyor system, and compartments containing liquid confection compositions connected with delivery tubes arranged to deliver metered amounts of liquid compositions simultaneously into the molds of a transverse row wherein liquid compositions of different flavors are delivered into groups of molds as the rows of molds are successively moved through the filling station.

United States Patent 2,127,850 8/1938 Taylor Inventor Harlan R. GetmanToledo, Ohio Appl. No. 36,729

Filed May 13, 1970 Patented Jan. 4, 1972 Assignee Vroman Foods, Inc.

Toledo, Ohio APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF FROZEN CONFECTIONS 8Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 425/130, 141/160, 425/120, 425/126, 425/243, 425/245 Int. Cl A2lc3/00, A23g Field of Search 107/1 R, l

D, 8 R, 8 A, 8 C, 8 E, 3, 27-29; 17/32; 18/5, 39, 40; 25/7, 41; 141/160References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,850,051 9/1958 Rasmussen 107/8A X 2,866,420 12/1958 Nutty 107/1 D 3,450,070 6/1969 Fowler et al.107/27 R 3,272,388 9/1966 Whitmore 107/1 D X 3,468,265 9/ 1969 Otken107/1 R Primary Examiner-Jordan Franklin Assistant Examiner-Geo. V.Larkin Attorney-Harry O. Ernsberger ABSTRACT: The disclosure embraces anapparatus for forming frozen confections in which movable molds areconveyed through filling, freezing, stick inserting and extractionstations, the apparatus including opened topped molds arranged intransverse rows on a conveyor system, and compartments containing liquidconfection compositions connected with delivery tubes arranged todeliver metered amounts of liquid compositions simultaneously into themolds of a transverse row wherein liquid compositions of differentflavors are delivered into groups of molds as the rows of molds aresuccessively moved through the filling station.

APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF FROZEN CONFECTIONS Heretofore, it hasbeen conventional practice in the production of molded frozenconfections wherein each confection is provided with a stick, to fill alimited number of molds in a transverse row at a filling station with aliquid confection composition contained in a single hopper. In sucharrangement the molds in a row were limited to six or eight wherebyproduction was necessarily restricted involving comparatively high costin producing molded confections.

An object of the present invention embraces an arrangement wherein anincreased number of molds is provided in each transverse row of molds inthe conveyor system whereby the molds in a transverse row aresimultaneously filled with liquid compositions for frozen confections,thus attaining a substantial increase in production without increasingthe width of the mold conveyor system.

Another object of the invention resides in an arrangement whereby moldsof a transverse row in a mold conveyor system may be concomitantlyfilled with liquid confection compositions from multiple supplieswhereby groups of the molds of each transverse row are filled withconfection compositions of different or assorted flavors. Another objectof the invention embraces an arrangement of confection compositiondelivery tubes wherein groups of the tubes are connected withcompartments containing supplies of different or assorted flavoredliquid compositions whereby the tubes simultaneously delivercompositions of different flavors into molds of a transverse row ofmolds and wherein the tubes may be selectively disposed or oriented fordelivering different flavored confection compositions into groups of themolds in various patterns in a transverse row.

Another object of the invention resides in a structural arrangementequipped with a plurality of liquid composition delivery tubes arrangedwith their delivery outlets in a single transverse row for alignmentwith successive transverse rows of molds of a mold conveyor systemwhereby a large number of molds may be simultaneously filled at thefilling station.

Another object of the invention resides in providing a plurality oftubes for simultaneously delivering liquid confection composition into atransverse row of molds in a moldconveying system wherein the tubes areoriented in a configuration or shape to reduce the tendency forsiphoning of the liquid composition through the tubes of more than ametered or measured quantity of liquid composition delivered into eachof the tubes.

Further objects and advantages are within the scope of this inventionsuch as relate to the arrangement, operation and function of the relatedelements of the structure, to various details of construction and tocombinations of parts, elements per se, and to economies of manufactureand numerous other features as will be apparent from a consideration ofthe specification and drawing of a form of the invention, which may bepreferred, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a form of liquidconfection composition metering and mold filling arrangement of theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic top plan view of the confection metering andmoldfilling station, the view being taken substantially on the line 22ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged crosssectional view of a check valve arrangementfor interrupting flow of confection in a tube when a metered quantity ofconfection is delivered into the tube, and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view illustrating a modified moldfilling tubearrangement.

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIG. 1, numeral designates amoldfilling station. Disposed below the moldfilling station is a moldsupporting and conveying arrangement or system 12 of conventionalconstruction. The moldconveying arrangement 12 is inclusive of aflexible endless conveyor 14 of articulate construction which includesan endless chain means engaging pairs of transversely spaced sprockets(not shown) of conventional construction.

Links 17 of the chain means connect adjacent brackets 18 at each side ofthe mold conveyor arrangement, each pair of transversely opposedbrackets supporting a moldmounting plate 20. Each of the transverseplates or strips 20 provides support means for the molds of a transverserow of open top cavity molds 16. One of the transverse rows of molds 16is shown in broken lines in FIG. 2 at the filling station. The teeth ofthe pairs of sprocket wheels (not shown) engage rollers 19 carried bythe brackets 18 to advance the moldsupporting conveyor arrangement 14.

The mold conveyor arrangement is intermittently advanced by a motordriven mechanism (not shown) of conventional character whereby thesuccessive rows of molds are moved into registration with the fillingstation. Advancement of the moldconveying mechanism is automaticallyperiodically interrupted for successive dwell periods to enable the rowof molds at the filling station to be filled with liquid confectioncompositions. I I

The axis of rotation of one pair of sprockets supporting the conveyor 14is in substantially vertical alignment with the filling station wherebythe molds move in a curved path as illustrated in FIG. 1 thencedownwardly and longitudinally in a righthand direction to facilitateimmersion of the filled molds in a freezing liquid 24 contained andcirculated in a tank or reservoir 26. As the liquid confectioncomposition in the molds is being progressively frozen by the lowtemperature of the freezing liquid 24, the rows of filled molds aresuccessively brought into registration with a stickinserting station 28at which a vertically reciprocating stick holder 30 inserts a stick 32into each of the partially frozen confections.

As the molds and conveyor move in a righthand direction as viewed inFIG. 1, the molds remain immersed in the freezing liquid 24 until theliquid confection composition is frozen to a solid state. The advancingconveyor moves in an elevated path in a conventional manner to withdrawthe molds from the. freezing liquid 24, the exterior mold surfaces beingengaged with a hot liquid such as water or other hot environment at anextracting station and the confections removed from the molds byextractor means. As the molds are mounted on continuous endless conveyormeans, the empty molds are returned by the lower flight of the conveyor(not shown) and are refilled at the filling station.

The apparatus at the filling station is arranged to concomitantly fillall of the molds of the transverse row in registration with the fillingstation with the liquid confection. In the arrangement illustrated,provision is made for delivering different or assorted flavors ofconfection liquid into different molds of a row, the delivery ordistribution of the different or assorted flavors being such that theflavored confections in groups of molds in a row may be of severalflavors.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the filling station is inclusive of twohoppers 3S and 36, the hopper 35 having two compartments or chambers 38and 39, and the hopper 36 having two compartments 40 and 41. Each of thecompartments 38, 39, 40 and 41 may contain a different flavored liquidcomposition providing different flavors of confections in groups ofmolds 16 at the filling station. The liquid composition, for example,may be water ice, ice cream, sherbert or other confection compositionsthat may be frozen into a substantially congealed state.

Associated with the compartments containing supplies of liquidconfection composition are metering and distribution means fordelivering metered or measured quantities of the liquid compositionsinto groups of molds when in registration with the filling station. Inthe embodiment illustrated, there is associated with -the hopperconstruction 35 a plurality of metering pumps 44, one of which is shownin FIG. 1, the pumps 44 being arranged in transverse relation, therebeing a metering pump 44 for each of the confection delivery tubesassociated with the compartments 38 and 39, of the hopper 35. As shownin FIG. 2, there are four composition delivery tubes 46, 47, 48 and 49connected with the compartment 38, and four tubes 51, 52, 53 and 54connected with the compartment 39.

There are four delivery tubes 58, 59, 60 and 61 connected with thecompartment 40, and four delivery tubes 64, 65, 66 and 67 connected withthe compartment or supply chamber 41. Eight metering pumps 44 aredisposed adjacent the hopper 35, each pump being connected respectivelywith the tubes 46 through 49 and 52 through 54. A second group ofmetering pumps 45 is arranged adjacent the hopper 36, there being eightpumps 45, each of these pumps being connected respectively with tubes 58through 61 and 64 through 67. The delivery tubes are of flexible plastictubing, preferably vinyl tubing of the character marketed under thetrade name Tygon."

The pumps 44 and 45 are of identical construction, each of the pumpsincluding a cylinder 69 containing a reciprocable piston 70 carried by apiston rod 71, the piston rods associated with the cylinders 44 and 45being connected with conventional means (not shown) for concomitantlymoving all of the pistons in both groups of cylinders.

Associated with the hopper or liquid supply reservoir means and 36 aredispensing devices 73 for dispensing liquid confection composition intothe cylinders and for directing the liquid composition contained in thecylinders into the delivery tubes. As the dispensing devices associatedwith the hoppers 35 and 36 are identical, description of one applies toboth. Positioned beneath each of the hoppers is a block 74, each blockcontaining a valve structure, the block having a circular cylindricalbore which is in communication with the adjacent hopper by a pluralityof apertures 76.

In the arrangement illustrated that are eight apertures 76 in each ofthe blocks 74, one for each of the cylinders 44 and 45. Rotatablydisposed in each of the bores in the blocks 74 is a cylindrical valvemember 78 having a shaft portion 80 extending through an opening in theend of the block 74. Secured to each shaft 80 is an arm 82 connected bya link 83 connected with actuating mechanism for rotating or operatingthe cylindrical valve member 78 is timed synchronism with intermittentmovements of the mold conveyor 12 and the actuating movement of thepistons 70.

The valve member 78 in each block has a substantially diametrical slot85, one for each of the eight cylinders and each block has a secondgroup of apertures or passages 87, one for each of the adjacentcylinders. Each block has a third group of apertures or passages 90.This construction is conventional, the same being of the generalcharacter disclosed in Rasmusson U.S. Pat. No. 2,850,051. When the valvemember 78 is moved to one position, the diametrical slots 85 providedcommunication between apertures or passages 76 and 87 whereby liquidconfection composition in the compartments 38 and 39 of the hopper 35 isdelivered into the cylinders as the pistons 70 in the cylinders aremoved to their outermost positions.

The pistons 70 are moved a predetermined distance, which is adjustableby means (not shown) for metering the amount of liquid confectioncomposition admitted into the cylinders from the compartments in thehopper 35. The same action takes place simultaneously with the valvemeans in the block 74 disposed adjacent the cylinders 45 for meteringliquid confection composition from the compartments and 41 of the hopper36 into the cylinders 45.

When the cylinders 44 and reach their extreme outermost positionswherein the cylinders are filled with the liquid composition, therotatable valves 78 are moved to positions wherein the slots 85establish communication between passages 87 and 90. When the valves 78have been moved to this position, the pistons are actuated and moveinwardly toward the blocks 74 and the liquid composition in thecylinders delivered through the passages 90 into the delivery tubes 41through 49, 52 through 54, 58 through 61 and 64 through 67.

Means is associated disposed between the passages 90 and the respectivedelivery tubes embodying a check valve, one of the check valvearrangements, being shown on an enlarged scale in FIG. 3. Each checkvalve arrangement 92 includes a sleeve portion 94 secured secured to alower surface of a block 74, there being a check valve for each deliverytube. A member 96 is associated with each sleeve, member 96 having apassage 97 and a seat 98 for check valve 99, the latter beingball-shaped in the embodiment illustrated.

Telescoped into the lower end of the member 96 is a fitting 100 having anipple portion 101 to telescopingly accommodate one end ofa deliverytube. A coil spring 102 normally biases the check valve or ball 99 intoengagement with its seat 98. When the metering pistons 70 reach theirinnermost positions, the metered quantities of liquid composition in thecylinders have been delivered past the check valve means 99 and throughthe delivery tubes into a transverse row of molds at the fillingstation.

The check valve assures that on subsequent outward movements of themetering pistons, liquid composition in the supply compartments will bedelivered or dispensed into the cylinders 44 and 45. In the embodimentillustrated, a plate 105 is disposed transversely of the conveyor andabove a row of molds 16. The plate 105 is provided with a number ofopenings equal to the number of molds in a transverse row and a metaltube or tubular member 106 inserted in each opening, the lower end ofeach tube registering with a mold in the transverse row at the fillingstation.

Each of the flexible plastic delivery tubes is fitted onto the upper endof one of the tubes 106. The liquid composition flowing past the checkvalves 99 is conveyed by the plastic tubes to the tubular members 106and through the outlets of members 106 into the molds of the row inregistration with the members or tubes 106 whereby each mold is filledwith liquid confection composition. In the embodiment illustrated, aplate or tray 108 is provided to collect condensation that may bepresent.

With reference to FIG. 2, there is illustrated one pattern ororientation of the flexible plastic delivery tubes wherein each mold ofeach group of four molds receives a different flavored composition fromthe respective compartments or chambers 38 through 41. Thus, in theembodiment illustrated where 16 molds are filled concomitantly at thefilling station, there are four groups of molds wherein the molds ofeach group contain a differently flavored composition.

While the arrangement or orientation of tubes as illustrated facilitatespackaging the frozen confection with four assorted flavors in eachgroup, it is to be understood that the flexible plastic delivery tubesmay be arranged in different orientations with the filler tubes 106 sothat other group assortment of flavors may be attained simply throughthe reorientation of the plastic delivery tubes with respect to thefiller tubes 106.

In operation, during movement of the mold conveyor in a righthanddirection, as viewed in FIG. 1, to bring a succeeding row of molds 16into registration with the row of delivery tubes 106 at the fillingstation 10, the valves 78 are in a position establishing communicationof the compartments 38 through 41 with the cylinders of the meteringpumps 44 and 45 and the pistons 70 are moving outwardly to fill thecylinders with liquid compositions from the compartments.

During the dwell period of the mold conveyor, the valves 78 are moved toa position establishing communication between the cylinders 69 and thepassages 90, the pistons 70 moved toward the blocks 74 and the liquidcompositions in the cylinders delivered past the check valves 99 throughthe flexible plastic tubes 46 to 49, 51 to 54, 58 to 61 and 64 to 67 andthrough the tubes 106 into the molds of the row at the filling station.

During each dwell period, the stick-inserting member 30 is actuated inthe wellknown manner to insert a stick 32 into the partially frozen orviscous composition in each of the molds of the row in registration withthe stickinserting station 28. The molds are maintained in the freezingliquid for a distance sufficient to assure freezing of the confectioncomposition, the molds then moved out of the freezing liquid and thefrozen confections extracted from the molds in a conventional manner.

A modification of the positioning of the check valve arrangements isillustrated in FIG. 4. In this form there is secured to the lowerportion of each of the blocks 74' a fitting 112, the number of fittingsbeing equal to the number of flexible plastic delivery tubes to beconnected to the blocks. The plate 105 is fashioned with openings, onefor each mold of a transverse row, each opening accommodating a checkvalve arrangement 92' of the character shown in detail in FIG. 3. Inthis form, the outlets of the check valve arrangements are disposedabove the open molds at the filling station whereby liquid confectioncompositions delivered through the tubes flows past the check valves andinto the several molds of a transverse row of molds.

It is to be understood that the flexible delivery tubes may be orientedin different patterns for connection with the check valve fittings 92 sothat groups of molds may contain different flavors other than throughthe arrangement of delivery tubes shown in FIG. 2.

It is apparent that, within the scope of the invention, modificationsand different arrangements may be made other than as herein disclosed,and the present disclosure is illustrative merely, the inventioncomprehending all variations thereof.

lclaim:

1. Apparatus for producing frozen confection including, in combination,longitudinally spaced mold mounting members in substantially parallelrelation, each of said members mounting a row of opentopped molds,conveyor means for advancing said moldmounting members and molds along alongitudinal path, a pair of liquid reservoir means disposed adjacentthe moldconveying means, a plurality of first metering devices connectedwith one of said liquid reservoir means, a plurality of second meteringdevices connected with the other reservoir means, a relativelystationary plate disposed above and transversely to the longitudinalpath of movement of the mold conveyor means, said plate having aplurality of openings arranged in a single row, there being an openingfor registration with each of the molds of a transverse row of molds,and a plurality of tubes, each individual tube being disposed to receiveliquid from one of said metering devices and terminating in registrationwith one of the openings in said stationary plate for delivering liquidsfrom said metering devices into the molds of a transverse row adjacentthe plate.

2. The combination according to claim 1 including check valve meansdisposed between each of the metering devices and the liquid deliveryregion provided by each of the openings in the plate.

3. Apparatus for producing frozen confection including, in combination,longitudinally spaced moldmounting members in substantially parallelrelation, each of said members mounting a row of opentopped molds,conveyor means for advancing said mold mounting plates and molds along alongitudinal path, a pair of liquid reservoir means disposed adjacentthe moldconveying means, a plurality of first metering devices connectedwith one of said liquid reservoir means, a plurality of second meteringdevices connected with the other reservoir means, a relativelystationary plate disposed transversely to the longitudinal path ofmovement of the mold conveyor means, said plate having a plurality ofopenings arranged in a single row, there being an opening forregistration with each of the molds in a transverse row of molds fordelivering liquid into said molds of the row in registration with theopenings, tubular means individual to each metering device for conveyingliquid from said first and second metering devices to a region adjacenteach opening in the plate, and check valve means connected with each ofsaid tubular means and disposed adjacent each opening in the plate, eachof said check valve means having an orifice through which liquid isdelivered into a mold.

4. Apparatus for producing frozen confection including, in combination,longitudinally spaced moldmounting members, each of said membersmounting a row of opentopped molds, conveyor means for intermittentlyadvancing said mold mountinghmembers and molds carried thereby along alongitudrnal pa to a mold filling station, liquid reservoir meansdisposed adjacent the moldconveying means, said reservoir meansincluding a plurality of chambers, each chamber adapted to contain asupply of liquid confection composition, a plurality of groups ofmetering devices, there being a group of said metering devices connectedwith each of said supply chambers, a relatively stationary plate at themold filling station disposed above and transversely to the longitudinalmovement of the mold conveyor means, said plate having a plurality ofopenings arranged in a single row, there being an opening forregistration with each of the molds of a transverse row of molds fordelivering liquid into the said molds of the row, and a plurality ofliquid conveying tubes, each of said tubes terminating adjacent one ofthe openings in the relatively stationary plate, groups of said tubesbeing connected with groups of the metering devices to effect deliveryof liquids from the respective chambers through the groups of meteringdevices and groups of tubes into groups of molds of a row whereby eachmold of a group receives liquid composition from one of said chambers,and individual check valve means connected with each of said tubes.

5. The combination according to claim 4 wherein the check valve meansfor each tube is disposed adjacent the metering device for the saidtube.

6. The combination according to claim 4 wherein the check valve meansfor each tube is supported adjacent an opening in the relativelystationary plate at the filling station.

7, Apparatus for producing frozen confection including, in combination,longitudinally spaced mold-mounting members, each of said membersmounting a row of 16 opentopped molds, conveyor means for advancing themembers and molds carried thereby along a longitudinal path, liquidreservoir means disposed adjacent the moldconveying means, saidreservoir means including a pair of hoppers, each hopper beingpartitioned to provide two liquid composition supply chambers, aplurality of metering devices associated with each of the hoppers, therebeing a group of four metering devices connected with each of saidchambers, a relatively stationary plate disposed above and extendingtransversely to the longitudinal movement of the mold conveyor means,said member having 16 spaced openings arranged in a single row whereineach opening is arranged for registration with a mold of a transverserow of molds, a plurality of tubes for conveying liquid composition fordelivery into the molds of a row, each of said tubes being connectedwith one of the metering devices whereby groups of four molds in a rowreceive liquid composition from one of the chambers, and check valvemeans connected with each liquidconveying tube.

8. The combination according to claim 7 wherein the liquidconveyingtubes are arranged whereby four consecutive molds of each group receiveliquid composition from a different chamber.

1. Apparatus for producing frozen confection including, in combination,longitudinally spaced mold-mounting members in substantially parallelrelation, each of said members mounting a row of open-topped molds,conveyor means for advancing said moldmounting members and molds along alongitudinal path, a pair of liquid reservoir means disposed adjacentthe mold-conveying means, a plurality of first metering devicesconnected with one of said liquid reservoir means, a plurality of secondmetering devices connected with the other reservoir means, a relativelystationary plate disposed above and transversely to the longitudinalpath of movement of the mold conveyor means, said plate having aplurality of openings arranged in a single row, there being an openingfor registration with each of the molds of a transverse row of molds,and a plurality of tubes, each individual tube being disposed to receiveliquid from one of said metering devices and terminating in registrationwith one of the openings in said stationary plate for delivering liquidsfrom said metering devices into the molds of a transverse row adjacentthe plate.
 2. The combination according to claim 1 including check valvemeans disposed between each of the metering devices and the liquiddelivery region provided by each of the openings in the plate. 3.Apparatus for producing frozen confection including, in combination,longitudinally spaced mold-mounting members in substantially parallelrelation, each of said members mounting a row of open-topped molds,conveyor means for advancing said mold mounting plates and molds along alongitudinal path, a pair of liquid reservoir means disposed adjacentthe mold-conveying means, a plurality of first metering devicesconnected with one of said liquid reservoir means, a plurality of secondmetering devices connected with the other reservoir means, a relativelystationary plate disposed transversely to the longitudinal path ofmovement of the mold conveyor means, said plate having a plurality ofopenings arranged in a single row, there being an opening forregistration with each of the molds in a transverse row of molds fordelivering liquid into said molds of the row in registration with theopenings, tubular means individual to each metering device for conveyingliquid from said first and second metering devices to a region adjacenteach opening in the plate, and check valve means connected with each ofsaid tubular means and disposed adjacent each opening in the plate, eachof said check valve means having an orifice through which liquid isdelivered into a mold.
 4. Apparatus for producing frozen confectionincluding, in combination, longitudinally spaced mold-mounting members,each of said members mounting a row of open-topped molds, conveyor meansfor intermittently advancing said mold mounting members and moldscarried thereby along a longitudinal path to a mold filling station,liquid reservoir means disposed adjacent the mold-conveying means, saidreservoir means including a plurality of chambers, each chamber adaptedto contain a supply of liquid confection composition, a plurality ofgroups of metering devices, there being a group of said metering devicesconnected with each of said supply chambers, a relatively stationaryplate at the mold filling station disposed above and transversely to thelongitudinal movement of the mold conveyor means, said plate having aplurality of openings arranged in a single row, there being an openingfor registration with each of the molds of a transverse row of molds fordelivering liquid into the said molds of the row, and a plurality ofliquid conveying tubes, each of said tubes terminating adjacent one ofthe openings in the relatively stationary plate, groups of said tubesbeing connected with groups of the metering devices to effect deliveryof liquids from the respective chambers through the groups of meteringdevices and groups of tubes into groups of molds of a row whereby eachmold of a group receives liquid composition from one of said chambers,and individual check valve means connected with each of said tubes. 5.The combination according to claim 4 wherein the check valve means foreach tube is disposed adjacent the metering device for the said tube. 6.The combination according to claim 4 wherein the check valve means foreach tube is supported adjacent an opening in the relatively stationaryplate at the filling station.
 7. Apparatus for producing frozenconfection including, in combination, longitudinally spacedmold-mounting members, each of said members mounting a row of 16open-topped molds, conveyor means for advancing the members and moldscarried thereby along a longitudinal path, liquid reservoir meansdisposed adjacent the mold-conveying means, said reservoIr meansincluding a pair of hoppers, each hopper being partitioned to providetwo liquid composition supply chambers, a plurality of metering devicesassociated with each of the hoppers, there being a group of fourmetering devices connected with each of said chambers, a relativelystationary plate disposed above and extending transversely to thelongitudinal movement of the mold conveyor means, said member having 16spaced openings arranged in a single row wherein each opening isarranged for registration with a mold of a transverse row of molds, aplurality of tubes for conveying liquid composition for delivery intothe molds of a row, each of said tubes being connected with one of themetering devices whereby groups of four molds in a row receive liquidcomposition from one of the chambers, and check valve means connectedwith each liquid-conveying tube.
 8. The combination according to claim 7wherein the liquid-conveying tubes are arranged whereby four consecutivemolds of each group receive liquid composition from a different chamber.